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4th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Seifert 21, Robinson 13) Xavier Bartlett gets a second over. We don’t get many Xavier’s over here in Blighty either.
Anyway, Bartlett induces a swing and a miss from Seifert before a spawny four is gained from the inside edge. SHOT! Seifert then marmalises a slog sweep high and long over deep midwicket for SIX. Bartlett gets a slower ball all wrong and serves up a full bunger that Seifert smashes back past him for another four. Fifteen off the over, New Zealand on the charge!
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3rd over: New Zealand 21-1 (Seifert 6, Robinson 13) That’ll do. Robinson slaps the first ball back over point for SIX! It was short and wide and given the treatment. Hazlewood drops short again and is pulled away across the damp Bay Oval baize for four more! The tall fast bowler has a chunter to himself and then tightens up, finishing the over with three dots.
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The players are out there once more, Hazlewood has the ball. Tim Robinson on strike – Play!
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Good news! The covers are now being taken off, the rain has stopped and we’ll have a re-start in five minutes with no overs lost.
The ground staff at Bay Oval are being kept busy by the drizzle. Photograph: Aaron Gillions/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 09.11 CEST
As the rain falls and the cover are hauled on, we’ve got some nomenclature riffing in the OBO mailbag courtesy of Kandukuru Nagarjun.
“Hello James, I casually glanced at the OBO to see yet another Mitchell: Owen. To go with Starc, Marsh, Johnson, Swepson, McCleneghan, Santner and others I’m sure I’m forgetting.
“But before the modern era, I can’t recall one single cricketing Mitchell. Is this a statistical quirk, or was the name really popular for Antipodean babies born a few decades ago? And, has said popularity endured?
Hope your very erudite readership are able to shed some light.”
We don’t get many Mitchell’s or Mitch’s here in the UK, not as a first name at least, I reckon …
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Updated at 09.01 CEST
Rain stops play. Let’s hope it is just a passing shower.
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2nd over: New Zealand 7-1 (Seifert 6, Robinson 0) The batters clip and nudge to rotate strike but there’s no big shot in the offing. Gah! The rain gets heavier and the players scurry from the outfield.
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1st over: New Zealand 7-1 (Seifert 6, Robinson 0) Tim Robinson is the new batter, Xavier Bartlett is going to have the second over for Australia. There’s some drizzle in the air…
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WICKET! Devon Conway c Marsh b Hazlewood 0 (New Zealand 7-1)
It’s an all action start as Seifert moves across his stumps and scoops Hazlewood audaciously, dare I say bodaciously for SIX off the third ball of the game. A wry smile on the bowler’s face after that shot. A leg bye brings Conway on strike.
GONE!
Conway tries a drive but plinks a toe ender to Mitch Marsh in the ring. He won’t be happy with that, eventful first over, both sides landing an early blow.
Mitchell Marsh takes the catch to dismiss Devon Conway. Photograph: Aaron Gillions/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 08.45 CEST
Right then, let’s do this. Josh Hazlewood has the new ball and Tim Seifert is going to have first look with the bat. Devon Conway is at the non-striker’s. Let’s play!
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The players emerge onto the outfield but there is some more rain hovering… it might be one of those matches folks.
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New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell says he is happy to bat first and confirms his side is unchanged too:
TEAMS:
New Zealand Tim Seifert (wk), Devon Conway, Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell (c), Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
Australia Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Matt Short, Tim David, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Stand by your beds everyone, we might get some cricket!
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Australia win the toss and will bowl first!
Get in there! The coin has been flipped and it has landed Mitch Marsh and Australia’s way. Marsh confirms no changes to his side and expects there to be a bit of life in the wicket as it has been under the covers on and off for the last little while.
Mitchell Marsh of Australia and Michael Bracewell of New Zealand during the coin toss at Bay Oval. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 08.13 CEST
Well it’s not good news, but it isn’t terrible either. The toss has been delayed for 15 minutes as there is some light drizzle doing the rounds. Start those sun dances now people.
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Preamble
James Wallace
Hello and welcome to the third T20I between New Zealand and Australia from the Bay Oval. After yesterday’s washout it is a case of fingers and toes crossed that the weather gods are kinder today and we get some sort of a game in.
The radar looks a bit dodgy but my sources at the ground tell me there is some blue sky knocking about, whether it is enough to make a sailor a pair of trousers remains to be seen.
We should have the toss and team news imminently. Please do get in touch if you are tuning in.
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Updated at 08.14 CEST
